Miner&#39;s lamp



Jan. 14, 1930. F. STATLER MINER S LAMP Filed Feb. 6, 1929 ///IV/////////// I INVENTOR Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES T OFFIQEMINER/S LAMP Application filed February 6, 1929. Serial No. 337,938.

This invention relates to improvements in acetylene lamps and especiallyto miners lamps of this character.

One of the difficulties encountered in using miners lamps is that thecarbide, while generating gas, ascends to the water feed valve and clogsthe latter so that it cannot be closed fully, and in many cases theslaked carbide hardened about the valve, seriously interferes with theflow of water when the valve is subsequently opened.

Now it is one of the objects of this invention to provide means for atall times completely enclosing and protecting the water valve againstthe carbide so that the valve will always freely operate therebyavoiding the loss of time in taking the lamp apart and cleaning thevalve.

. hen the valve is opened and gas is being generated, the valve is mostoften clogged and hence it is a feature of my invention to afford anincreased degree of completely enclosing protection to the water valvewhen the latter is opened, this feature of the device being automatic inits action.

The invention has many other features and objects which will be morefully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and whichwill be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claim.

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1, is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of a miners lampand illustrating the manner in which the device of my invention isapplied thereto.

Fig. 2, is a View on an enlarged scale showing the bowl portion andillustrating the water valve closed.

Fig. 3, is a similar view with the valve 40 opened.

Fig. 4, is a. view of the device of my in vention detached from the lampand looking from below, in Fig. 1. p s

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent figures of the drawing.

The device of my invention is shown applied to a well known type oflamp, as illustrated, but it will be understood that the invention isequally adapted for all other types.

As shown, a carbide holding and gas generating bowl is indicated at 1,the same having abottom 2 and an open top 3. An attaching flange 4, ofthe usual type, is shown and is adapted to coact with clips 5, wherebythe bowl may be rotatively turned into or out of connection with asuperposed lamp structure, which will next be described.

The lamp structure, which is shown in elevation, is generally indicatedat 6 and the same is suitably equipped with a water chamher having afilling cap 7. The lamp reflector is shown at 8 and a suitable gaspassage or chamber will be provided, and which is notshown, but whichhas an intake at 9 in the bottom wall 10, of the structure, andcommunicates with the bowl 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Depending fromthe lamp structure is the usual water feed tube 11, which may bereduced, as shown at 12, and 79 which is provided with a downwardlyfacing valve seat 18 through which water may be delivered to the carbidein bowl 1. A valve closure operating rod 14 extends upwardly throughsaid tube and is provided with an operating arm 15, on top of the lampstructure, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When arm 15 is shifted in onedirection, the wateris shut off, and when shifted in another direction,the water'is free to flow into the bowl, 80 as is common to many typesof lamps.

I provide a valve closure which is indicated at 16 and which is rigidlyattached to said rod 14 so that when said rod is turned in onedirection, the closure 16 will engage 35 said seat 13 and shut off theflow of water to the bowl 1, as shown in Fig. 2. This movement of theclosure toward a shut off position, is an upward movement. Vhen the rod14 is turned in another direction, to unseat the closure 16, movement ofthe'latter will be downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. I have shown lugs 17,on'the closure 16, which engage the tube 11 and serve to guide theclosure although this is not'absolutely essential in all forms of theinvention.

Said closure tapers downwardly and forms an elongated inverted conicalextension 18 and on the apex 19, thereof, 1 provide a carbide agitatingstem 20, which extends 1.00

downwardly into the carbide and agitates the latter, as the closure isturned.

My improved protector includes a sleeve 21 which encloses the feed tube11 from seat 13, upwardly, with a considerable extent of clearance sothat there can be no restriction of flow of water from 13. The upper endof said sleeve 21 terminates in a flange 22 which actually forms a topfor the interior of the bowl 1. The peripheral portion 23, of saidflange is suitably interposed between shoulders 24 and 25 of the lampstructure and bowl, respectively, so that when the bowl and lamp aredetachably connected, the protector will be firmly secured in theposition shown. When the bowl is detached from the lamp structure, theprotector will be free to also be removed. Pertorations 26, in flange22, permits the gas to flow f om bowl 1 to opening 9, and therefrom intothe lamp structure;

The remaining portion of the sleeve 21 is in the form of an invertedtruncated cone 27 which terminates in 'a discharge opening 28 at itsapex, through which the stem 20 extends, and through which opening thewater egresses to the carbide. here is the fullest or maximum clearancebetween the wall 27 and the closure 18, which are shown parallel, whenthe closure is in an upward or water shutoff position, as shown in Fig.2. Yet, even in this position, the sleeve structure, which comprises theparts 21 and 27, always completely encloses and thereby functions toprotect the valve device from ingress thereto of carbide, in a veryeificient manner. There is least danger of carbide entering and cloggingthe valve when the valve is closed. The only entrance the carbide wouldhave, would be upwardly through opening 28, and this is always partiallyclosed by stem 20,

Now when the closure 18 is lowered to discharge water into the bowl 1,the space or vclearance between 27 and 18 is restricted to a minimum, asclearly shown in Fig. 3. This restriction is not such as would interferewith passage of water to the bowl, as the amount of water released whenthe valve is opened is very little, in any event. However, when water isbeing released, there is a condition of agitation in the bowl 1, as aresult of generation of gas, and at that time, the very greatestprotection is desired against carbide or gas particles lodging aroundandabout the valve closure, more especially when the latter is open. PIt will also be noted that this protection is immediately adjacent thepart to be protected.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the one single'valve closure18, functions in a dual capacity. It coacts with seat- 13 to control theflow of water, and it coacts with cone 27, of the protector, to restrictingress passage of gas into the protector'by closing the spaceso nearlyas just to permit egress of water therethrough and as the restrictedspace in Fig. 3, is approximately only sufficient to permit down flow ofwater, there is practically no chance whatever of gas or carbideparticles entering the protector through opening 28. It will also benoted that when the apex 19 reaches the position shown in Fig. 3, itcloses the opening 28 so nearly completely that only water couldpossibly pass downwardly therethrough and hence gas and particles couldnot pass upwardly the-rethrough. In the drawing, the extent of openingof the water valve has been very greatly exaggerated in order toillustrate the operation of the invention as in actual practice, thevalve closure would be spaced from seat 13 only about one sixty fourthof an inch for a full open adjustment of the water valve. Further, thestem 20, functions, inaddition to the apex 19, in substantially but notcom pletely closing the opening 28 against ingress of gas to theprotector. By reason of the fact that stem 20, extends down into thecarbide, it serves to agitate the slaked carbide to loosen the same, ina manner that will be clearly understood.

It is believed that the invention will be clearly understood frointheforegoing description, and while I have herein shown and described onespecific form of my invention,

1 do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as theclaim may import.

I claim r In combination, an acetylene lamp comprising, a carbideholding and gas generating bowl, a lamp structure detachably mounted onsaid bowl andsaid structure having a bottom wall provided with anopening for passage of gas from said bowl into said structure, a waterfeed tube depending from said structure into said bowl and having a .1

lower end valve seat, a valve closure movable upwardly to engage saidseat to shut off water to said bowl, said closure having an elongatedconical lower portion provided with a carbide agitating stem projectingfrom the apex thereof, and a valve protecting device comprising a sleevesurrounding said feed tube and having a conical lower .end in fullclearance relation to the conical portion of said closure when thelatter is in an upward shut off position and restricting the clearancespace when said closure is in a downward open position, said stem beingof sufficient length to extend through said protecting deviceirrespective of the position of said closure, and said protecting devicehaving a perforated flange disposed abreast of said bottom wall andbeing secured between said bowl and structure.

In witness whereof, I hereby afiix my Signature. s

" CHARLES F. STATLER.

